Subsection XII. Herbaceous Plants with No Apparent Leaves

compiled by Dave Richardson

1a. Stems fleshy and succulent.
- 2a. Sharp spines present; stem low, prostrate, composed of flat-jointed pads; leaves small, scale-like, appear only briefly; flower yellow, 5-8 cm. across; fruit purplish red, pear- shaped with tiny spines.....Prickly Pear Cactus, Opuntia compressa/drummondii (OPNCMP).
- 2b. Shanp spines absent; stems jointed, green or pink; flowers tiny, green, in upper joints.
  - 3a. Plant perennial, growing from elongate rhizomes; stems erect or prostrate to 30 cm. tall.....Woody Glasswort, Salicornia virginica (SLCVRG).
  - 3b. Plant annual without rhizomes; stems erect, 5-40 cm. tall.
    - 4a. Joints longer than thick.....Slender Glasswort, Salicornia europaea (SLCERP).
    - 4b. Joints thicker than long.....Dwarf Glasswort, Salicornia bigelovii (SLCSGL).
1b. Stems wiry, leaves tiny, scale-like, grow in pairs; stem 8-25 cm. tall, flowers yellow, very small, at the ends of the branches.....Orange Grass or Pineweed, Hypericum gentianoides (HYPGNT).